Shoe and other fastener.



J. P. PHILLIPS.

SHOE AND OTHER FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30, I9I6.

1,21 9,482. Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

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JACOB P. PHILLIPS, 0F YANTLEY, ALABAMA.

SHOE AND OTHER FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

Application filed June so, 1916. Serial No. 106,855.

.To all whom it may concern} Be it known that I, J'AooB P. PrnLLirs, acitizen of the United States, residing at Yantley, in the county ofChoctaw and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Shoe and other Fasteners; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in shoe fastenersand my ob ject is to provide means for fastening the flap of the shoe tothe upper portion or top thereof, said fastening means supplanting theusual form of button structure.

A further object is to provide means carried by the flap of the shoeadapted to be locked with means carried by the top of the shoe undertension.

A further object is to provide means for adjusting the parts of thesecuring device attached to the top of the shoe.

And a further object is to provide means for attaching the fasteningdevices to the parts of the shoe.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter set forth and moreparticularly pointed out in the accompanying specification. I

In the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shoe, showing my improved form offastening means applied to use thereon.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a section of the shoetop, showing the fasteningmeans locked together, the covering for the parts of'the fastenercarried by the flap being omitted.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the top and flap of the shoe,showing the fastening means in unlocked position, and

Fig. 4 is a similar view of a slightly modified form of device.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates a shoewhich may be con-' structed in the usual or any preferred form, 2indicates the top portion thereof, and 3: in-

dicates the flap or that portion of the shoe extending across the instepand forward portion of the leg.

Attached to the top 2 at suitable intervals are tabs a, which areprovided with straps 5, to which are adjustably attached the keepers 6of the fastening device, said keepers having a pair of transverselyextending slots 7 therethrough through which the straps 5 extend, thebody of the keepers between said slots having pins 8 thereon whichproject through openings 9 in the straps. and by providing a pluralityof the openings in the straps, the, keepers may be adjusted lengthwiseof the strap.

The inner end 'of each keeper is provided with an opening 10 with whichengages a tongue 11 carried by a latch 13, the opposite end of saidkeeper having a loop 14 which extends transversely of the keeper and iscentrally positioned between its edges, said loop being adapted to beengaged by an arm 15 of the latch 13 to lock the latch into engagementwith the keeper.

The latch 13 is preferably formed of spring wire, and the tongue 11 andarm 15 are formed by bending parts of the wire into substantiallyU-shape formation, the tongue 11 being positioned centrally of the endbar of the latch, while the arm 15 projects inwardly from one side barof the latch so as to extend transversely of the keeper 6 and in thepath of the loop 14: of the keeper.

The free edge of the flap portion 3 is preferably provided with scallops16, to the under faces of which the latches 13 are attached, eachscallop having on its under face a shield or covering 17 between whichand the scallop 16 the outer end of the latch 13 is positioned, the arm15 projecting through a slit 18 in the shield so that it may be readilyengaged with the loop 14.

In order to prevent the casual disengagement of the arm from the loop,the side bar of the latch 13 opposite the arm 15 is provided with abowed portion 19 to form a knob or stop, the side bar of the latchhaving the bowed portion also having a lateral extension 20 which is inalinement with the arm 15, said extension being employed for moving thebowed portion or knob out of engagement with the loop so that the arm 15can be readily introduced into or disengaged from the loop. In thisconstruction, the bowed portion'19 also projects through the shield 17whereby it will come into direct contact with the loop, when the latchis in locked engagement with the keeper.

In F ig. 4 of the drawing, I have shown a slightly modified form ofdevice, in which instance the tabs 4 are dispensed with and the keeper21 provided with tongues 22 which are adapted to engage slits 23 in thetop 2, and by providing a plurality of the slits the keeper may beadjusted longitudinally to cause the top and flap to fit snugly when theshoe is applied to use. I have also shown a slightly different form oflatch 24 in that the bowed portion is dispensed with and the springaction of the latch employed to frictionally engage the locic ing arm 25with the loop 26 of the keeper 21, and in addition to the arm 25 theside bars of the latch are provided with out wardly projectingextensions 27 and 28 which are employed for positioning the arm 25 forengagement with or disengagement from the loop 26.

In operation, after the shoe is placed upon the foot, any one of thescallops may be grasped and the tongue portion of the latch carried bysaid scallops extended through the opening 10' in the keeper, when thescallop is then forced downwardly and swung laterally until the end ofthe arm 15 is in registration with the opening in the loop 14, when thescallop and latch are moved transversely of the keeper and the arm ofthe latch extended through the loop of the keeper, and to betterfacilitate the entrance of the arm into the loop, outward pressure maybe directed against the extension 20, and inward pressure against thearm 15, the outward pressure on the extension 20 moving the bowedportion out of the path of the loop of the keeper. As soon as the arm 15has been properly engaged with the loop pressure on the parts of thelatch is released, whereupon the bowed portion 19 of the latch will moveinto the path of the keeper on the latch and prevent the arm from casualdisengagement from the loop.

If it isfound that the flap is too loose or being drawn too tightly bythe engagement of the latch with the keeper, said keeper may be adjustedlengthwise on the strap. In releasing the shoe, the finger is firstintroduced below the scallop and outward pressure directed against theextension 20 to move the same out of the path of the loop, when lateralpressure is applied to swing the arm 15 out of engagement with the loopwhen the flap may be swung from over the edge of the shoe top and thetongue disengaged from the opening in the keeper.

This device can be very cheaply construct ed and readily applied to usein connection with a shoe and may be detached from one part of the shoeand attached to another part, if so desired. It will also be understoodthat in view of the simplicity of this device, it can be very cheaplymanufactfired and readily applied to use on the s oe.

It will likewise be understood that in view of the spring action of thelatch when applied to use, said tension will normally hold the latch inengagement with the keeper, but by providing the bowed portion, thelatch will be positively held in engagement with the loop until suchtime as it is desired to remove the shoe.

Itwill likewise be understood that when the latch is locked with thekeeper, the parts of the securing device will be removed from view, thuslending a pleasing effect to the ihoe and causing the shoe to snugly fitthe oot.

And it will likewise be understood that each one of the keepers may beadjusted to compensate for the curvature of the ankle and limbs of thewearer.

I claim 1. In a? fastening device, the combination with a keeper formedwith an opening and a loop, of a latch member embodying a body and atongue adapted to enter said opening in the keeper, and an arm carriedby lobe latch member adapted to engage said oop.

2. In a fastening device, a keeper having an opening formed adjacent oneend, a laterally extending loop at the other end, a resilient latchmember embodying a body and a tongue at one end of said body adapted toengage said keeper opening, and an inwardly and laterally projecting armcarried by the opposite end, said arm adapted to be sprung laterally toengage it with the keeper loop.

3. In a fastening device, a keeper having an opening formed therein, aloop carried by the keeper, a spring wire latch member embodying a bodyand a tongue at one end of said body adapted to engage said keeperopening, and an arm carried by the opposite end of the latch member, anda finger piece carried by said latch member whereby the latch member maybe flexed to spring said arm into engagement with the'keeper loop.

and means projecting from the latch memname to this specification in thepresence of her and at rlght angles to the laterally eX- two subscrlbmg'wltnesses.

tending arm, said members adapted to be JACOB P PHILLIPS M D positionedon one side of the keeper loop i to prevent accidental diseng-tgement ofsaid Vitnesses:

latch arm from the loop. W. E. SMITH,

In test1mony whereof I have slgned my STUART SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

